Ward of the State to a Family
by Kudos4U
Summary: After Maes dies, everything turns upside down, and a family is born from it. A little OOC from our characters, but not much.


Ward of the State to a Family

Princess Sango

Gracia Hughes closed her eyes in pain as she lay down on her bed; it wasn't their bed anymore, but her bed. Hughes wouldn't be there to hold her anymore. Elicia wouldn't have a father to love her anymore, not physically here to show it anyway. Walking out of the room she walked over to Elicia's room where her daughter slept. Kneeling down to her daughter's bed she kissed her small cheek and silent tears fell down her cheeks, "Mommy can't stay Elicia, mommy can't stay here. Please understand."

She stood up and walked back out and into her room where she smothered her face with a pillow and died there, slowly, from lack of air.

Next Morning…

Elicia woke up and heard quiet, nothing to even tell her anyone was home. She was scared, but got up anyway and walked over to her mother's room, hoping to find her dad and mom both in there. Opening the door she saw her mother still asleep and Elicia ran up to her mother's body and started to try to wake her. Her tiny hands beating down on her chest, in an attempt that would be futile.

Elicia started to cry and heard a knock on the door, she didn't know what to do, but in her innocence she walked up to the door and opened it, a man clad in a uniform smiled at her, "Hi Elicia, where's your mom?"

Elicia didn't answer and backed away, and then a woman came up to Elicia, also clad in black, "Don't you remember us Elicia? I'm Ms. Riza, you saw me yesterday."

Elicia smiled at the familiar name and hugged the now-familiar woman, "Mommy won't wake up Ms. Riza."

Riza's blue eyes turned stormy and picked up the girl, her face slightly stoic. "Roy goes see if Elicia is right, we'll be outside."

Riza walked outside with the little Elicia as Roy moved into the deepest part of the house. Elicia clung onto her leg and she smiled at the young girl, she had so little now, and that's including what Riza was thinking. Roy came back, his eyes even more depressed, and Riza knew then that her suspicions were confirmed, "She's dead."

Riza hugged Elicia, "We can't just leave her here Roy."

Roy nodded, "I called the department, and she's to be buried next to Hughes, tomorrow."

Elicia finally understood they were talking about her parents, "Is mommy okay?"

Riza looked at Elicia and hugged her, "Your mother went to join your father Elicia; you can stay with me for now."

Elicia looked up at Riza, whose eyes were sad and clouded with tears, and then to the man, whose eyes were just the same, only deeper, "I'll stay with you, and when mom and dad get back I'll be with them right?"

Riza sighed, "No dear, we'll explain when you're older. Come now." Riza picked up Elicia and took her away from the home she knew for four short years, away from where the state would prepare Gracia's body for burial the next day.

4 days later…

Elicia was unbearable, staying in Roy's office the whole time. Riza soon noticed this and suggested to Roy that they both take her out somewhere at the end of the day. Roy agreed but he wasn't in the mood to go out, and wasn't in the mood to go out anywhere, for him, his sulk version was huge. Riza noticed this also but concluded that for the two people she cared most for, it was for the best.

Roy ended up driving and Riza entertained Elicia in the backseat. "So Ms. Riza, where are we going?"

"Well out to dinner, and probably to a park," Riza answered the little girl.

Elicia's eyes lit up with joy and hugged the elder woman, "Really?"

Riza smiled and Roy chimed in, "Yes, and your friend Ed will be there."

"Ed, I haven't seen him in so long, is Al coming too?" Elicia asked, a new amount of excitement welling up.

"Yes, Al will be there too," Roy assured the little girl, who smiled back at him, with a pure happiness.

Roy felt slightly better as he pulled into a restaurant that was considered classy and he was wearing a plain tux, Elicia in a velvety blue dress, and Riza in a dark green velvet dress, strapless. They entered and saw Ed and Al sitting at the table made for five, and greeted them before sitting down on their own chair, Elicia sitting in between Riza and Roy and across from Ed and Al.

"Hi there Colonel Mustang, Lieutenant, and Elicia," Ed answered as Al waved hi.

Elicia looked at him and smiled, "Hi Ed!"

Ed smiled at the younger girl and they got their menus. Ed then looked at Riza, "Lieutenant, what's going to happen to her?"

Riza studied Ed's calm golden eyes and sighed, "She's like you two, a ward to the state, since your father can't exactly vouch for you either."

"Oh," came Ed's curt reply, looking away for a second, "Wait we're wards of the state?"

"Of course you are, and what was that 'oh' remark for?" Roy asked.

"Well she's young enough, I figured you'd take her in Roy," Ed answered back.

"What in the world…?" Roy asked.

Riza bit her lip at the humorous scene before her, and then turned to Roy, "Sir, I understand what he is saying, she is young enough."

Roy surveyed their eyes and then looked down at Elicia, "I can't cause this girl anymore pain, you know that right? What if I were next?"

"Sir, you be her father, be what Hughes can't be anymore, and I'll be what Gracia can't be anymore," Riza pleaded.

Ed, in the meantime played with Elicia and she smiled in delight as he made little alchemy circles on the black paper table cloth and created something small for her delight. "Okay, I'll see what I can do; Ed would you like to become part of this family?"

Ed looked at Roy, "Sure why not? My dad is practically dead to me, and that would mean I'd have a younger sister. That kind of family has its perks, and I'm not going to be an official dog of the military either, because my alchemist name is what's bound."

Roy laughed and looked at Al, "What do you think?"

Al nodded, "If I won't cause anyone any trouble, I would love to also."

Riza smiled, and just like that, they had a family but there WERE some complications.

5 days later….

Ed signed his name on the little certificate, giving Roy Mustang full custody, but there was a tiny detail left, the people who adopted either must be married or will be married. So with that tiny detail, Roy asked Riza, and she accepted, but they didn't know if it would work. Ed smiled as she looked up at Roy, "So I guess you're my dad now Colonel and Riza's my mom?"

Roy nodded, confirming this as Ed looked at little Elicia who was immediately handed to Roy, who was friends with her father. Al was handed over too, and there were no more wards to the state, they were considered a family. Little Elicia loved Ed and Al like they were blood related, and Riza was happy to see them together, but she still felt like she was being well…used.

Roy noticed this and pulled her aside, since they now had a bigger family they had moved into a Hughe's house, which was left for them. Elicia kept her room and Al and Ed shared a room, claiming that the other room would be for them to decide. The house was beautiful but the fact that so much had happened here was also there. Roy sighed as the three kids went to bed and Roy stopped Riza from slipping into her room for the day. "Riza, are you okay?"

"I'll be fine sir, after all, this was best for the children," Riza answered, only turning her head towards him.

Roy shook his head and walked up to him, "No Riza, they would be happy either way, tell me what you want."

Riza shook her head, running into her room, but before she could close the door

Roy stopped her, "Riza, tell me."

Riza nodded, letting him in, "I want you, Elicia, Ed, and Al to be happy Roy."

"What about yourself Riza, you're a person too," Roy asked her.

"For myself, I just want love, and someone to hold me, to love me for me," Riza said, her eyes looking at Roy straight in the eyes.

Roy complied by placing his arms around her waist and pulling her close to himself, "Is this what you want Riza, love? We're a family, not just a military family, but a family. As soon as we're married we'll be seen under the military as a 100 family."

Riza nodded, allowing Roy to embrace her but soon backed away, "Sir it's late, and we have work tomorrow, I'll see you then?"

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Roy answered, kissing her cheek shyly and backing away.

Wedding Day…

Riza and Roy were married that day, and later they both went to Gracia and Mae's grave to tell them, placing fresh flowers on the grave. "Thank-you," Riza whispered to them.

Roy wrapped a hand around his wife's waist, "Thank-you for giving us a home-made family."

With that Riza and Roy left and returned to the house, where Elicia, Al, and Ed were still up, waiting for their return, and in the wind two voices chiming in were saying, "You're welcome."

Owari

P.S: This is a memorial for Maes Hughes in some odd way.


End file.
